Mounting for dial test indicators



INVENTOR.

R. J. MAUS MOUNTING Foa DIAL TEST INDICATORS Fuga May 'r 1947 Dec. 12, 1950 Patented Dec. 1.2, 195() UNITED MOUNTING FOR DIAL TEST INDICATORS Richard J. Maus, Bualo, N. Y.

Application May 7, 1947, Serial No. 746,575

This invention relates to improvements in means for mounting dial test indicators or gages in operative relation to the work to be tested or gaged.

Heretofore dial test indicators have been mounted in such a manner that the ieelers of the indicators can be set with a high degree of accuracy into any desired position on a machine tool, test plate or other support. When different work pieces to be tested can be placed successively into operative relation to this test indicator without requiring movement of the test indicator, then the test indicator can be used repeatedlywithout requiring any adjustment thereof. However, in some instances, the work pieces are of such nature that if a work piece is to be removed and replaced by another work piece, the testindicator must be moved out of the way, whereupon the test indicator must be accurately re-adjusted for each work piece to be tested.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a test indicator mounting which may be secured in operative relation to a machine or other support, and in which the mounting includes parts movable relatively to each other to move the test indicator into an inoperative position while one work piece is being replaced by another, and then again returned accurately to its initial adjusted position for making the necessary test on a succeeding work piece. vention is to provide a support of this type including a column comprising a number of members, one of which is secured to a base and another of which has a test indicator secured thereto, the members being pivotally connected and being provided with releasable interlocking parts,

by means of which the members can be returned to their original positions when the test indicator is to be used. A further object is to provide a column of this type comprising three members vconnected with each other by means of pivots having their axes extending in diiierent directions so that the test indicator may be readily swung into a number of diiierent positions, the members being provided adjacent to each pivotal connection with parts for releasably securing the members accurately into their operative positions.` Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan View of a test indicator mounting embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3j is a side elevation thereof, substantially A further object of this in- 4. oiaims. (ci. 24e-121) at a right angle to that shown in Fig. 2, partly in section, on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a central sectional elevation thereof, on line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a central sectional elevation thereof, on line 5--5, Fig. 3.

En the particular embodiment of this invention illustrated by way of example in the drawings, I represents a base of any suitable type on which the indicator mounting may be supported. This base is only partly shown and may be of any suitable or desired construction for securing my improved test indicator mounting on any suitable support. The base may, for example, be mounted on the bed of a lathe or other machine or on a table on which the work pieces are placed for testing and inspection of the same.

Gn this base is mounted a column comprising a plurality of members, that shown by way of example including a lower member 8 which is suitably secured to the base l, an intermediate member 9, and an end member I0 on which a test indicator II having a suitable feeler I2 may be mounted. While I have shown a column comprising three members, it will be obvious that for certain purposes, a column comprising only two pivotally connected members shown may be suflicient for the purpose for which the device is to be used. This might, for example, be :accomplished by omitting the member 8 and mounting the lower end of member 9 on the base. lf desired, more than three members may constitute the column.

The lower member 8 of the column may be rigidly secured to the base I in any suitable orv desired manner, and in the particular construction shown by way of example, the base is provided with an aperture into which an end I4 of the member 8 may iit. The member 8 is of hollow or tubular form and the lower part of the base may be provided with screw threads engaged by a bolt or screw I5, which, when tightened, draws the lower member 8 securely into engagement with the base The lower member may, for example, have a shoulder I6 bearing against the upper face of the base and the shoulder is drawn tightly into engagement with the base by a screw I5. By loosening the screw I5, the lower memberv may be turned about its axis for the purpose .of supporting the indicator II in diierent relations to the base.

The intermediate member of the column 9 is mounted to swing relatively to the lower member 8 about a pivot pin I8. For this purpose, the

upper end of the lower member 8 may be pro- 3 vided withV a central slot I9 into which a .portion 20 of the intermediate member 9 extends for the purpose of forming a pivotal connection by means of which the two members 8 and 9 are held against movement in any direction except about the axis of the pivot.

This pivotal connection i8 is for the purpose of enabling the indicator to be swung out of its operative position, and means are provided whereby the indicator vmay be returned accurately yto its operative position. For this purpose, I provide cooperating parts or stop means on the members 8 and 9 of the column, by means of which these two members may be accurately held in predetermined relation to each other in such a manner that when the member 9 is swung approximately into its initial position, it will be accurately drawn in such position. Any suitable or desired means may be provided for this purpose, and in the construction illustrated by way of example, I have provided the member 8 aplunger 'or detent member 22, the upper end of which is formed in a notch or recess ,24 'in the extension 2G of the intermediate member f5. The plunger k22 Hbe gs-lidably mounted lin an axial 4hole formed in the lower member 8 ,and this plunger may be v:pressed .into engagement with the 4extensionizeof Ythe member s in any suitable manner,

for ,exam-ple .byymeajns of a spring V25 -alsovseated .the axial @bore or .hole of the member -8. A screw 1,5 having a threaded engagement in the bore of the ,flower lmember 8 ,may be 4,adjusted to Vary the tension of the spring 25.

VBy mea-ns noi" :the vcorist-ruotion described, it -will beopvious gtnatfby .grasping the column members 9 and lll and-,urging the :same vto swing about the pivot I8, the ,plunger :or deten-t member will be `fOlffGd by a cam action out :of the recess 24, whereupon the column vmembers Sand loan-d `the test indicator Vmounted thereon may be swung from their voperative lposition shown in full lines in vthe .-;d;raw ing,S, to an Vinoperative position, such for example asshown inbreken lines ,in Fig. l2, or to any intermediate positionbetween the full line `and broken line positionsshown in Fig. A2. When/the test indicator vis' in the inoperative .position `shown @broken lines 1in Fig. 2, it will ordinarily-be positionedoutof the way of anyfwork part, husfenablingithe `work part which has been tested o be replafoeclpbyanother work part to be tested. When another work part'has been placed in rthe desiredaposition, the members 9-and l0 of the column may be restored to their -full line positions, by .swinging them approximately into such position, whereupon the plunger 22 seatine,r in the recess v2li of thecolumn 9 forces this member 4byacam action into its correct operative position :and -holds this member `accurately in .the same position relatively to the column memberfSrwhich ithad formerly occupied.A

.A,=movable connection is also provided between thecolumn members!! and i9 to enable the uppermember i9 to be swung .into dilerent-relationsto-theintermediate member`9. This pivotal connection vshould be arranged with its axis ,extending ,into a diifierent angular relation rtothe axissof thepivot Vitsnce it may be'necessarygto 1swing,the indicator.aboutboth'axesYin order to move itintov-an inoperative position toclear the workpiece, or toolearmachine parts y adjacent to the indicator. In the construction illustrated by waygof exam-plie, the column members Ailand lo garegpvoted 13o-swing about an axis `whichvis substantially coaxial -,with Zan vaxis .extending f in thegsenera-bd-irectionoffthelenetnof the column.

4 For this purpose, the upper portion of the intermediate member 9 is provided with a longitudinal bore in the upper end thereof and the upper member I0 has a reduced lower cylindrical part 30 formed to fit into the bore of the member 9. The part 3D, and if desired, a portion of the member I0, is preferably also hollow and a coil spring 3| may be arranged within this hollow part with one end thereof connectedvto the co1- u-mn vmem-ber '9 and the other end to the column member I0 for the purpose of yieldingly urging these members toward each other. The column members 9 and I0 are also provided with stop `meansor parts formed to facilitate the return ofV these column members to their initial positions after they have been swung about their pivotal connection. In the construction shown for this purpose, the column member 9 is provid-ed in the upper end thereof with one or more notches 33 into which one or more projections .39 0f the comme member l0 `may .enter- In the :0f .this .eennetion .between :the -members and (t9, if it is desired to swing the ytest indicator out of its operative position, the colum member t:H3 is raised against the action of the spring 3,! and 5ti-irried about jits upright pivotal connecbien with the G01-umn member to 4*So/,ins the .indicator i l Mineither direction into an inoperative position. For example, the test indicator may be s g .into either of the two broken line positionsshown in Fig. 1, or into other positions about .the exis 0f the pivotal connection between the members `9 A.and I9. By means of this Varrange,- meni. vthe test ,ldetr H v,may be swung Youtof the :way of .somenobstruction which would inter: f ere with .the swinging ofthe lsame only about the .pivot .l-B. IWhen it is .desired to return the testjindicator ,ifi to its operative position, the upper column member 479 is again turned .so that the projections 34 thereof .will .enter into ythe recesses vt3 ofthe intermediate column member s. The projeotions 314 of :the upper column member gli; will be vdraw-n securely into engagement with ,the cliches/33 in the intermediate column member 9 by ,means ofY thetension 'spring 3i, thus restoring the indicator Il to the position into/which Vit was .originally set.

Ihe testindicator LH .may be mounted on fthe upper col mn member t9 in anysuitable or de platzen-intothegslesiredv relation to Athework while the parts of `the `column are vin 4their ,operative siredrnan ertopermitthe same to be accurately Y rel tions toeach other andfto the base. This .in-

dicatoiyinqthe particular construction shown is mountedonthe endofan arm 36 bymeans ora pivotal ,connection 3;1 .of any suitable or vusual typeandthe armAS-: maybe adjustableinfthe direc-,tionof itsflengt'h relatively toV the uppercolumn-member lo in any suitable or usualmanner. Eorexample, .the ,upper column 4member may be provided with za transverse `aperture in which the-armf l.is lslidably mounted. -Theupper end oftl'refcolumnmember -lll may be provided with agslotntowhich the eye of an eye bolt-39 enters'. Aggnut'gl serves-.to draw the `eye bolt upwardly and thuslcck thearrnSi-n adjusted position;

'The dial test .indicatormounting described has the advantage .that vwhenthework pieces to Vbe tested Lareiof suchanatureth'at they cannotbe placed into and out of position to be tested without requiring removal ofthe test indicator, the indicator-can .readily be moved out of its operative position withoutremoving the' base ortho column member .-8 out of the 'position in 'which `they:wereoriginallyset. `llither Ithe member -IU or the member 9 may be swung on its pivot to move the test indicator out of its operative position and where necessary, both of these column members may be swung about their pivotal connections to enable the test indicator to be placed in any inoperative position where it is out of the way and when the test indicator is again needed, it can be moved into its operative or correctly adjusted Iposition without requiring any adjustment or setting of the same.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts whichhave been herein described and illustrated, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A test indicator mounting comprising a pluralityY of members, one of said members being constructed to be secured in a fixed position, another member having a test indicator secured thereto and an intermediate member pivotally connected to said other two members, adjusting means on said other member for enabling said test indicator to be secured in correct relation to the work to be tested, pivotal connections between said adjacent members, the axes of said pivotal connections between said intermediate member and said other two members being arranged in angular relation to each other, co-

operating parts associated with said pivotal connections for releasably holding each of said members in xed relation to the other members, said cooperating parts when released. lpermitting said members to swing about the axes of their pivotal connections, said members when returned to their initial positions being again held by said parts in the positions formerly occupied thereby.

2. A test indicator mounting including a plurality oi' members pivotally connected with each other, one of said members being constructed to be secured in a fixed position with reference to work pieces to be tested, another member having said test indicator secured thereto, adjusting means on said other member for enabling said test indicator to be secured in correct relation to the work to be tested, and a third member arranged intermediate of said other members, pivotal connections between adjacent ends of said members, said pivotal connections having their axes extending in diiierent angular relations to each other, means associated with each of said pivotal connections for releasably holding adjacent members in predetermined relation to each other, said means when released permitting said members to turn about their pivotal connections to move said test indicator into inoperative positions and to swing back into positions in which said means again become eifective for re leasably holding said members in the same relations to each other which they occupied before turning of the same about said pivotal connections.

3. A test indicator including a column comprising at least three members, the first of said members being constructed to be secured in a xed position, the second of said members having a test indicator secured thereto, adjusting means on said other member for enabling said test indicator to be secured in correct relation to the work to be tested, and a third member intermediate between said first and second members, said intermediate member having a pivotal connection with both said rst and second members, the pivotal connection between the iirst and third of said members including a substantially horizontal pivot pin connecting adjacent parts of said members, means cooperating with said pivotal connection for releasably holding said rst and intermediate members in a predetermined relation to each other and releasable to permit said intermediate member to turn out of said predetermined position about the axis of said pivotal connection, a vertical pivotal oonnection between said intermediate member and said second member, a spring for drawing said intermediate and second members toward each other, and stop means on said intermediate and second members including a notch in one of said members and a projection on the other member formed to enter said notch for yieldingly holding said intermediate and second members in predetermined position relatively to each other.

4. A test indicator mounting including a column comprising a plurality of members pivotally connected to each other, one of said members being constructed to be secured in a xed position and another member having said test indicator secured thereto and an intermediate member pivctally connected to said other two members, adjusting means on said other member for enabling said test indicator to be secured in correct relation to the work to be tested, the axes of said pivotal connections between said intermediate member and said other two members extending in diierent angular relations to each other, the pivotally connected ends of said column members each including a notch and a projection arranged to enter said notch to hold said members in predetermined relations to each other, and yielding means for urging said projections into said notches to releasably hold said column members in their predetermined relations to each other, whereby said column members may be swung about their pivots to move said test indicator out of its operative position, and when swung back, said members will be positioned and held in their operative positions by said yielding means to position said test indicator in its operative position.

RICHARD J. MAUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oirecord in the nie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS McLean June 13, 1944 

